Soot and Melted Carpet After Dealer Electrical Repair

[pipepro1]

I pulled off the floor/wall molding and the brads I used after installing a new floor may have hit the wiring for he fresh water tank. Although on the control panel it shows the water level as empty (it is) I'll need to fill it halfway and check though.

 

[whiteva]

Thanks for letting us know how the situation unfolds, I for one would really like to get to the final chapter. Too often members tell of a problem and forget to let us what the solution is.
Cheers

 

[pipepro1]

Thanks for letting us know how the situation unfolds, I for one would really like to get to the final chapter. Too often members tell of a problem and forget to let us what the solution is.
Cheers

Because I cannot see the actual cause we may have to take out part of the wall and floor. I can't take a chance of having this happen again while we are in it. Hopefully the insurance company agrees.

 

[bigbAZ]

A good time to review your smoke alarms and escape plan. Replace smokes if over 10 years old at a minimum. There should be one in every sleeping area. Kitchen and bath not so much.

 

[pipepro1]

I first contacted my insurance agent, he suggested taking to the qualified mechanic and finding the cause and the cost. I think they are going to drop the fresh water tank to see the underside floor/wall burn marks.
Before I took it in for a electrical problem I checked the fuses and replaced the only bad fuse I found which was on circuit 6. When I picked it up they showed me a blown fuse on circuit 8. Hmmmmmmmm
In order to find out what number matches the circuit I have no way of knowing other than pulling a fuse and checking all everything. I think this is the schematic for the fuse box.
From another thread of mine I believe if there is a load on the line and the fuse is blown the red light will be on??????

 

[Kirk]

I believe if there is a load on the line and the fuse is blown the red light will be on?

As long as there is something in the circuit to supply a return path, which is true in the majority of cases. To test that, just pull out the fuses one at a time when you think everything is turned off. If the light doesn't turn on with the fuse removed, then you have found a circuit that has nothing connected to it which is turned on.

I first contacted my insurance agent, he suggested taking to the qualified mechanic and finding the cause and the cost.

Since you have removed most of the evidence, be sure to take the pictures that you took before you cleaned it up.

 

[OldWEB]

Opening up areas would be the only plan of attack as I really have a hard time believing it could be from a 12V circuit fused at 15A. The most that could generate is 195 watts (at 13V) hardly enough to burn paper.
Even a 120V @ 15A circuit could cause material to burn, but it would need to be regulated enough to continuously spark w/o tripping the breaker to create that much soot and where is the fire?
As mentioned earlier, someone with a coal-burner truck was revving the crap out of it next to that side and it must not be sealed well.
A real head scratcher for sure.

EDIT: I am still at a loss on what those "carpet threads" are, never seen them like that and why NOT A SPECK of soot ran up the wall.

 

[OldWEB]

I pulled off the floor/wall molding and the brads I used after installing a new floor may have hit the wiring for he fresh water tank. Although on the control panel it shows the water level as empty (it is) I'll need to fill it halfway and check though.

Not a trace of soot under the molding(s)... did not come from here.

 

[OldWEB]

Feeling with what?? These all have four "toes".

No I don't think they are paw prints I was feeling around

 

[Rene T]

Could it be coal dust that someone accidentally spilled

 

[Bearcatrp]

Feeling with what?? These all have four "toes".

View attachment 2504494

Looks like cat paws.

 

[pipepro1]

Feeling with what?? These all have four "toes".

View attachment 2504494

Oh my I didn't notice that

 

[pipepro1]

Could it be coal dust that someone accidentally spilled

No because the carpet fibers melted

 

[pipepro1]

Dropped off my RV at the dealer it was at and he and I went at it for a few minutes because he accused me of saying the fire was his fault. Then he told me he almost wasn't going to look at it. When I suggested the diesel soot theory because after I took the moldings off there wasn't any soot he got upset that he never heard of such a thing.
The saga continues as the RV turns lol.

 

[bigbAZ]

This is a long shot but could it have been from a cigarette? It's not clear to me if that spot was visible with the slide in or if it was underneath the retracted slide. I guess if it was a cig tho there's be a butt, I don't think that parts burns so easily.

 

[pipepro1]

This is a long shot but could it have been from a cigarette? It's not clear to me if that spot was visible with the slide in or if it was underneath the retracted slide. I guess if it was a cig tho there's be a butt, I don't think that parts burns so easily.

The tech told me nobody was smoking in the RV. Plus what would cause all the soot when the carpet was just heated on the edge for it to sprout like that.

 

[bigbAZ]

The tech told me nobody was smoking in the RV. Plus what would cause all the soot when the carpet was just heated on the edge for it to sprout like that.

The carpet had to be actually on fire/smoldering for a short time. It likely self extinguished due to the fire retardant put into all building materials and fabrics. It's definitely a baffling mystery.

 

[pipepro1]

Look at the last couple pictures the carpet isn't burnt

 

[Ex-Calif]

An external truck exhaust would leave clear signs all over the outside and in addition there would need to be a low pressure inside to draw soot in.

This is really weird.

 

[Kirk]

The saga continues as the RV turns lol.

i wish that you had left the soot until the source was determined. In studying the first pictures, it appears that the soot is on the molding next to the wall, but none at all on the wall. And soot is on the carpet, but none is on the vertical carpet. The pattern on the hardwood floor seems to indicate that it was blown in. If you have a large fan, it would be interesting to place it to blow on the outside in that area and see if you can feel air blowing inside in the area where the soot was located. Are you sure that the black stuff was soot and that the fibers were melted carpet?

This is a long shot but could it have been from a cigarette?

I used to smoke but never saw a cigarette or cigar that would make soot like that.